Applicator



Sept. 30, 1969 w. M. WIDEGREN 3,469,928

APPLICATOR Filed Oct. 18, 1968 INVENTOR. WALTER M. WIDEGREN ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,469,928 APPLICATOR Walter M. Widegren, Haddam, Conn., assignor to Lake Eyelet Manufacturing Co., Inc., Southington, Conn.,

a corporation of Connecticut Filed Oct. 18, 1968, Ser. No. 768,717 Int. Cl. A46b 11/00, 17/00; A45d 40/26 U.S. Cl. 401-122 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A mascara applicator comprising a mascara reservoir and an applicator wand providing a cap for the reservoir and having a depending brush normally retained in the reservoir and adapted for application of the mas cara. The reservoir has a throat with an inwardly tapered opening for removing excess mascara from the brush when the wand is withdrawn from the reservoir and the wand has a conical wiper element for wiping the throat opening clean when the wand is reinserted into the reservoir.

Brief summary of the invention The present invention relates to a new and improved applicator of the type conventionally having a liquid reservoir and a closure cap with a depending brush normally retained within the reservoir and adapted for being withdrawn from the reservoir for applying the liquid.

It is a principal aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved applicator for manually applying liquid or the like, for example mascara to the eyelashes, which facilitates application of the liquid without inadvertently staining the fingers, clothing, etc., with the liquid.

It is another aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved applicator of the type in which the throat of the reservoir provides a restriction for removing excess liquid from the applicator brush when it is Withdrawn from the reservoir.

It is a further aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved liquid applicator having a more economical and reliable design and providing improved sealing against foreign matter and leakage of the liquid from the reservoir.

Brief description of the drawing In the drawing.

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section view partly broken away and partly in section of a mascara applicator incorporating an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial longitudinal section view partly broken away and partly in section of the mascara applicator showing the wand thereof partially withdrawn from the mascara reservoir; and

FIG. 3 is a transverse section view taken substantially along line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

Description of the preferred embodiment Referring now to the drawing in detail, a mascara applicator incorporating an embodiment of the present invention is shown comprising a base subassembly and an enclosure cap subassembly 12 having cylindrical metal shells or casings 14, 16, respectively, with enclosed outer ends and which together provide a cylindrical outer surface for suitable embellishment.

The cap 12 comprises a molded plastic insert 20 having an elongated generally cylindrical rod 22 extending outwardly from the shell 16 coaxially therewith and an enlarged head 23 at the inner end of the rod 22 which is press fit within the outer end of the shell 16 to position 3,469,928 Patented Sept. 30, 1969 ice the outer edge 25 of a bushing portion 26 thereof flush with the outer edge of the shell 16. An axial bore 27 is providing in the outer end of the rod 22 to receive an elongated twisted wire support 28 of a brush element 29 which is shown having a nylon generally helically extending brush secured between the twisted wires. The rod 22 and brush element 29 thereby form with the shell 16 a wand for applying mascara contained in the reservoir provided by the casing 14.

The base 10 comprises a throat element 30 which includes an outer molded plastic :bushing 32 press fit within the outer end of the casing 14 and an inner resilient rubber bushing or liner 34 axially retained within the outer bushing 32 by the shoulders 35, 36, 37 of the rubber liner 34 and the cooperating shoulders 38, 39 and bead 40 of the outer bushing 32. The bushing 32 has a reduced externally threaded outer projection 41 and the depending bushing portion 26 of the insert 20 has conforming internal threads for securing the cap 12 to the base 10. And as shown in FIG. 1 with the cap 12 threaded onto the base 10, the outer edge 25 of the bushing portion 26 and the shell 16 abut an edge 43 of the bushing 32 and the outer edge of the casing 14 respectively. Also an outer lip 42 of the rubber liner 34 is pressed between the shoulder or edge 39 of the bushing 32 and an opposed face 45 of the insert 20 to provide a seal between the base and cap and to thereby seal the applicator against foreign matter and leakage. In addition the lip 42 is thereby deformed slightly to provide a rounded or chamfered inner lip edge 49.

The throat element 30 has an elongated circular opening coaxial with the casing 14 for inserting the wand into the mascara reservoir. The opening 50 is dimensioned to provide a restriction for removing excess liquid from the brush element 29 when the wand is withdrawn from the reservoir and to thereby provide that the brush element 29 contains the optimum amount of mascara. The liner 34 is provided with an inward projection 54 having a circular end opening with a diameter substantially equal to but less than the diameter of the generally cylindrical rod 22 such that when the wand is withdrawn the projection 54 will function to remove excess mascara from the brush element 29 and also function as a rod wiper to remove mascara from the rod. For this purpose the projection 54 is axially taperedinwardly to its inner end to provide a circular resilient lip for effectively removing the liquid from the rod and brush. In addition the opening 50 is of conical shape and in. the shown embodiment is axially tapered substantially its full length from the rounded edge 49, to provide in part for gradually relieving the brush deformation when the wand is withdrawn from the reservoir. In this regard the diameter of the conical opening 50 at its outer end is preferably greater than the diameter or maximum transverse dimension of the brush so that each section of the 'brush will have resumed its normal shape before it emerges from the throat opening and will therefore not spatter mascara upon emergence.

A wiper mounted on the rod 22 is shown consisting of a first sleeve portion 62 received within a peripheral annulus of the rod 22 to retain the wiper 60 against axial movement on the rod 20 and a funnel-like portion 64 extending outwardly from the sleeve portion 62 toward the brush and forming a catcher for mascara spattering or dripping from the brush, for example during application of the mascara. The outer surface of the wiper 60 is of conical shape tapering outwardly from the rod 20 toward the brush such that the bushing 34 will remove liquid from the external surface of the wiper 60 when the wand is withdrawn from the reservoir.

The funnel-like wall 65 of the wiper portion 64 tapers toward the brush to provide a flexible and resilient leading edge 66, and so that upon reinsertion of the wand into the reservoir the wiper 60 functions to wipe the throat opening 50 clean of liquid. For this reason the diameter of the circular leading edge 66 is made substantially equal to but slightly greater than the diameter of the outer end of the opening 50, exclusive of the round or chamfer 49, and the rounded edge 49 accordingly provides for assisting in guiding the wiper 60 into the throat Opening 50.

As the wand is reinserted into the throat opening 50 the leading edge 66 is progressively deflected inwardly by the conical opening wall 67. The funnel-like portion 64 of the Wiper 60 is accordingly made flexible and resilient to enable it to be readily deflected inwardly as the wand is reinserted into the reservoir. In this regard it has been found that if the liner 34 has a Durometer hardness of 80, the leading edge 66 of the wiper will be deformed into a corrugated shape by the opening wall 67 as shown in FIG. 3 as the wand is inserted into the reservoir. As a result, the air within the reservoir is permitted to bleed relatively freely between the wiper 60 and opening wall 67 to permit the wand to be inserted into the reservoir free of restraint from compressed air in the reservoir.

Also, it can be seen that the progressive inward deflection of the Wiper wall 65 provides for maintaining substantially line contact between the wiper 60 and liner 34 which permits the wiper 60 to effectively remove any mascara from the opening wall 67 while at the same time minimize the frictional restraint between the opening Wall and wiper. Thus, it can be seen that the wiper 60 provides for wiping the throat opening 50 free of mascara when the wand is inserted into the reservoir and that the rod therefore remains 'free of mascara during use. Accordingly, the brush of the wand will contain the optimum amount of mascara and the rest of the wand will remain clean of mascara to avoid staining the users fingers, clothing, etc.

As will be apparent to persons skilled in the art, various modifications and adaptations of the structure abovedescribed will become readily apparent without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an applicator comprising an applicator wand with an elongated rod and a brush element at the outer end of the rod, and a reservoir with a throat having an opening for receiving the wand for inserting the brush element into the reservoir, the improvement wherein the wand comprises a wiper element surrounding the rod inwardly of the brush element and cooperable with the throat to wipe the throat upon insertion of the wand through the throat opening into the reservoir.

2. In the applicator of claim 1 wherein the wiper element has a peripheral conical surface portion substantially coaxial with the rod and extending outwardly toward the brush element.

3. In the applicator of claim 1 wherein the wiper element has a first sleeve portion receiving the rod and a circular hollow portion surrounding the rod and extending axially from the sleeve portion toward the brush element.

4. In the applicator of claim 3 wherein the hollow portion of the wiper element has a funnel-like shape.

5. In the applicator of claim 3 wherein the rod has a first generally cylindrical portion, a second reduced portion providing a peripheral annulus for receiving the sleeve portion of the wiper element and a third portion inwardly of the hollow portion of the wiper elemen axially tapering toward the brush element.

6. In the applicator of any one of claims 1-5 wherein the throat has an inwardly tapered generally conical opening and wherein the wiper element is circular and has a diameter substantially equal to the largest diameter of the throat opening.

7. In the applicator of any one of claims 1-5 wherein the rod is generally cylindrical and wherein the throat has a generally circular opening with a minimum diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the generally cylindrical rod.

8. In the applicator of any one of claims 1-5 wherein the throat comprises a resilient rubber bushing providing said throat opening and having a lip at the outer end thereof, wherein the wand provides a closure for the reservoir and wherein the wand and reservoir have cooperating means for mounting the wand on the reservoir with the brush element received therein and with the lip providing a seal between the wand and reservoir.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,033,213 5/1962 Joss et al. 40ll28 3,280,421 10/1966 Davidson 40ll22 3,372,424 3/1968 Kellett 401-122 X LAWRENCE CHARLES, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 40ll28 

